Arsenal interest spiked after Liverpool flop told he can leave

onDecember 17, 2012

Liverpool winger Stewart Downing may be on his way out of Anfield, according to the Metro. The 28 year old England international has had a torrid time at Liverpool since joining them from Aston Villa for a sizable 20 million pounds last summer.

A graduate of the Middlesbrough academy, Downing left his boyhood club to move to Aston Villa for 10 million pounds in 2009, where he made a positive impression, making 63 appearances and scoring 9 times over 2 seasons. Having left Villa for Liverpool though, his career collapsed dramatically as he couldn’t make an impact in the Reds’ first team, making 36 league appearances for no goals in the 2011-12 Premier League season. Downing subsequently lost his place as a first team regular and has since only managed 8 Premier League appearances this season under new manager Brendan Rodgers.

It is believed that the Liverpool boss has left it up to Downing to decide his future by allowing him to leave this winter, which has spiked interest in fellow Premier League club, Arsenal. Downing could be the man that Arsene Wenger wants on the wing for Arsenal, given his vast experience of having played in the Premiership and may be targeted as a replacement for contract rebel Theo Walcott.

There is a greater chance though that Downing could head back home to Middlesbrough, who want to bolster their squad looking to get back up into the Premier League.